S. China Karst extension listed as World Heritage Site
The World Heritage Committee on Monday added an extension of South China Karst, a natural World Heritage Site since 2007, to the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The extension, with a total area of 1,186 square kilometers, includes the Jinfoshan cluster in Chongqing Municipality, the Shibing cluster in Guizhou Province, and the Guilin and Zhujiang clusters in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region -- all in southwest China.
Experts believe that the addition of South China Karst (Phase II) makes the listing more complete.
The two parts group the world's most unique karst physiognomy, which evolved from plateau to plains. Karst topography is a distinctive landscape formed from the dissolution of layers of soluble bedrock, such as limestone, dolomite and gypsum.
It is characterized by underground systems with sinkholes, dolines and caves. It may also result in a variety of large- or small-limestone pavements, poljes, karst valleys, clints,
flutes, vertical shafts on the exposed surface.
The World Heritage Committee, which was convening its 38th annual session in Doha, Qatar, added China's 2,400-year-old Grand Canal and a section of the ancient trade route of Silk Road to the World Heritage List on Sunday.
With the three successful inscriptions, China has already become No. 2 on the list with 47 sites, only behind Italy's 50 sites.
Li Rusheng, deputy head of the Chinese delegation to the convention, lauded the new inscription, saying the approval is conducive to helping the world deepen its understanding about China's unique natural resources and strengthening people's consciousness of protecting natural resources, especially special heritage resources.
相关新闻：正在卡塔尔首都多哈举行的第３８届世界遗产大会２３日继续举行会议，审批各代表团提交的申报世界遗产名录申请报告，中国南方喀斯特二期申遗项目获批通过。 在当天举行的会议上，与会代表认真倾听了有关这一项目的阐述，并发表了各自的意见，大会主席、卡塔尔公主玛雅萨随后宣布批准这一项目加入世界遗产名录，会场内响起热烈掌声，中国代表也打起横幅，庆祝申遗成功。
中国代表团副团长、中国住房和城乡建设部风景名胜区管理办公室副主任李如生在接受新华社记者采访时说，中国南方喀斯特景点多、面积大、区域广，不仅向世人呈现了大自然的美学价值，也见证了地球演化过程，此次中国南方喀斯特二期申遗成功，有助于全世界加深了解中国独有的自然资源禀赋，强化公众对自然资源特别是对特殊遗产资源的保护意识。他还表示，申遗过程和申遗成功是以全球视野和标准重新评估自然遗产，开阔人们认识自然遗产的眼界，提升保护管理级别，履行世界自然和文化遗产保护公约，并自觉接受国际社会监督，使全人类共同欣赏、保护大自然所创造的奇迹，从而形成一个有效的管理机制，有利于自然遗产保护的持续发展，有利于提高地区和国家的文化软实力。 被本届大会批准的中国南方喀斯特二期包括重庆金佛山喀斯特、贵州施秉喀斯特、广西桂林喀斯特以及作为贵州荔波喀斯特遗产地拓展的广西环江喀斯特，总面积１１８６平方公里，其中提名地面积４０９平方公里，缓冲地面积７７７平方公里。
参加会议的重庆市南川区区长曹清尧表示，申遗成功既是荣耀也是责任，在利用自然和享受自然的同时更应注重保护自然、回馈自然，使经济发展与自然保护达成和谐，这就需要政府部门加强对世界遗产的保护，在立法和资金支持方面都要迈出坚实步伐。
中国南方喀斯特二期申遗成功
